1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a tie-down and, more particularly, to an efficient and robust tie-down.
2. Related Prior Art
A conventional tie-down includes a frame, a handle, a reel, two ratchet wheels and two detents. The frame includes two walls. The first detent is movably supported on the walls of the frame. The handle includes two blades. The second detent is movably supported on the blades of the handle. The reel is rotationally inserted in the blades of the handle via the walls of the frame. The ratchet wheels are connected to the reel so that they are rotatable together. The reel is inevitably worn away by the blades of the handle. Moreover, the rotation of the reel is not smooth because the reel is worn away by the blades of the handle.
Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,281,701 issued to the applicant of the present application, a tie-down includes a frame 10, a handle 20, a reel 12, two ratchet wheels 13 and two detents 14 and 22. The frame 10 includes two walls each including two arched ribs 104 or an annular rib 105. The first detent 14 is movably supported on the walls of the frame 10. The handle 20 includes two blades. The second detent 22 is movably supported on the blades of the handle 20. The reel 12 is rotationally inserted in the blades of the handle 20 via the walls of the frame 10. The ratchet wheels 13 are connected to the reel 12 so that they are rotatable together. Each of the blades of the handle 20 is rotationally supported on the arched ribs 104 or annular rib 105 of a corresponding one of the walls of the frame 10. Thus, the reel 12 is protected from the blades of the handle 20 by the arched ribs 104 or the annular ribs 105. The arched ribs 104 or the annular ribs 105 are made by punching that complicates the production of the tie-down.
Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,836,560 issued to the applicant of the present application, a tie-down includes a frame 10, a handle 20, two bushings 30, a reel 12, two ratchet wheels 13 and two detents 14 and 22. The frame 10 includes two walls each including two arched ribs 104 or an annular rib 105. The first detent 14 is movably supported on the walls of the frame 10. The handle 20 includes two blades. The second detent 22 is movably supported on the blades of the handle 20. The reel 12 is rotationally inserted in the blades of the handle 20 via the walls of the frame 10. The ratchet wheels 13 are connected to the reel 12 so that they are rotatable together. Each of the bushings 30 is inserted in a corresponding one of the blades of the handle 20 via a corresponding one of the walls of the frame 10. The blades of the handle 20 are rotationally supported on the bushings 30 that are supported on the walls of the frame 10. Thus, the reel 12 is protected from the blades of the handle 20 by the bushings 30. The bushings 30 are individually inserted in the blades of the handle 20 via the walls of the frame 10, and this process is complicated.
The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.